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Hawaii could require retailers to neuter dogs and cats

posted May 31, 2011

Hawaii legislators are considering a bill that would prohibit pet stores from selling sexually intact dogs and cats.

According to the bill, the purpose of the legislation is "to prohibit the retail sale of unsterilized cats and unsterilized dogs in order to mitigate the suffering of the feral cat and stray dog populations" in the state of Hawaii.

The AVMA State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department is unaware of any similar legislation that would require pet dealers to neuter animals before sale, although several states require shelters to neuter animals before adoption. In addition, some municipalities require the neutering of almost all dogs and cats by owners.

Information about laws addressing mandatory neutering of animals is available at www.avma.org/advocacy/state/issues under "Spay/Neuter."